20. Wilt Chamberlain-Bill Russell: An extension of both the Celtics-76ers rivalry and the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, Chamberlain vs. Russell was such an influential rivalry not just because it involved two NBA greats on rival teams, but also because these two players happened to play the same position, which is an oddity when it comes to legendary NBA rivalries. In the 17 combined years that Chamberlain and Russell were in the NBA, from 1956 (when Russell was a rookie) to 1973 (when Chamberlain retired), they had a combined 9 MVP’s (5 for Russell and 4 for Chamberlain) and 13 rings (11 for Russell and 2 for Chamberlain). Chamberlain and Russell truly dominated the NBA for nearly twenty years, so it is natural that their rivalry is considered one of the best in sports history.
19. Notre Dame-USC: Even though these two schools have very different backgrounds and traditions, the battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh is considered to be one of the best in college sports. Notre Dame and USC have combined for the most National Championships (22), Heisman Trophy winners (14), All-Americans, and Hall of Famers in the NFL of any two teams in a college football rivalry. Also, five of the top ten most watched games in college football are from this rivalry. One of the more notable games came in 2005, when USC was stopped at the goal when the clock struck zero; however, more time was put on the clock, and when Leinart attempted a quarterback sneak to win the game, running back Reggie Bush pushed in Leinart for the touchdown, adding fuel to this rivalry.
18. Nicklaus-Palmer: Quite clearly the greatest rivalry in golf history, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer are two of golf's biggest stars, so everyone made sure to tune in to watch these two legends battle it out on the course. Nicklaus is widely considered to be the best golfer in history, but Arnold Palmer provided some competition. This rivalry started at the 1962 U.S. Open, when Nicklaus overcame a three shot deficit to force a 18-hole playoff on Sunday, which Nicklaus eventually won. Five times, Nicklaus and Palmer finished first and second at the end of a major, and during a five year stretch, the two golfers were the only two champions at the Masters. The impact that these two golfers have had on the sport has shaped golf into what we know and love today.
17. Syracuse-Georgetown: Remember when the Big East was the most competitive and intense conference in all of college basketball… those were the days. Now, Syracuse has moved on to the ACC and Georgetown is just a shell of their former self. Though their recent games have still been fairly competitive and intense competitions, the real golden age of this rivalry was back in the 1980’s, when Patrick Ewing and Georgetown went up against Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse team in several heated contests. Perhaps the most memorable game between these two was when Syracuse’s Pearl Washington nailed a game winning jumper with just eight seconds left to give Syracuse a 65-63 win over Georgetown, who were ranked first in the nation. The game was not to pass by without a bit of controversy, though, as Georgetown’s players were pulled off the court following an incident where an orange was thrown at the backboard during one of Patrick Ewing’s free throws.
16. Giants-Eagles: With these two teams both battling for the NFC East title each and every year, surely tensions will be high when the Philadelphia Eagles play the New York Giants. Out of this rivalry have come several incredible moments, such as the Miracle at the Meadowlands, and the Miracle at the Meadowlands, Part II (feat. DeSean Jackson). Although many people believe this is the greatest rivalry in the NFL, it does not quite match up with another classic matchup further on down the list.
15. Cubs-Cardinals: The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are some of baseball's biggest franchises, seeing how the Cubs rank second in all-time wins, while the Cardinals ranks fourth. While the Cubs have managed to record an incredible amount of wins, a World Series title has eluded them since 1908, unlike the Cardinals, who have won 11 titles in that same span. The two mid-west teams have had some incredible moments, including Ryne Sandberg's home run in 1984, and the greatest home run race of all time between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Considering how close the stadiums are to one another, fans are able to travel to either stadium to cheer on their teams, creating an atmosphere unlike any other in baseball.
14. Cal-Stanford: "The Big Game", a rivalry between California and Stanford, is the best college rivalry you will see on the West Coast, as it was first played 122 years ago. While the concluding play at this past year's Iron Bowl may give "The Play" a run for its money, many consider what took place on the field in 1986 to be the most remarkable moment in college football history. With four seconds left on the clock, Cal had one last attempt to win by scoring on a kick return. The ball was lateraled five times by four different players, when finally, Cal's Kevin Moell ran the ball into the endzone, having to run over one of Stanford's trombone players in the process. Stanford's band ran on the field prematurely, creating a chaos on the field that has yet to be replicated in sports.
13. Bruins-Canadiens: Being two of the Original Six, this rivalry is one of the longest lasting in hockey history. Although the Canadiens dominated during the early years, the series has become much more competitive as of late. The two teams have played against each other in the postseason 34 times, where seven of those series resulted in Game 7s (both of which are the highest totals between any two teams in hockey). In fact, Boston and Montreal met in this past postseason, where Montreal was able to fend off the Bruins in a seven game series, surely adding fuel to an already fiery rivalry.
12. Magic Johnson-Larry Bird: From 1980 to 1988, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson combined for 8 out of a possible 9 championships, where either the Celtics or Lakers were competing in the NBA Finals for 10 consecutive seasons. This rivalry started in college, when Bird’s Indiana State lost to Johnson’s Michigan State in the National Championship Game. From that point on, the two were forever linked to one another. The two player have combined for 8 NBA Finals Championships, 6 MVP awards, 24 All-Star Game appearances, and 18 All-NBA First Team honors. The Celtics-Lakers may be the greatest rivalry in all of basketball, but yet another incredible competition emerged out of this rivalry.
11. Packers-Bears: The first game between these two teams was all the way back in 1921, where the Chicago Bears were known as the Chicago Stanleys, and just 7,000 people were in attendance. With 22 league championships between them, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are certainly two storied franchises that have been evenly matched over the course of this rivalry (93-89-6 Bears).
19. Notre Dame-USC: Even though these two schools have very different backgrounds and traditions, the battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh is considered to be one of the best in college sports. Notre Dame and USC have combined for the most National Championships (22), Heisman Trophy winners (14), All-Americans, and Hall of Famers in the NFL of any two teams in a college football rivalry. Also, five of the top ten most watched games in college football are from this rivalry. One of the more notable games came in 2005, when USC was stopped at the goal when the clock struck zero; however, more time was put on the clock, and when Leinart attempted a quarterback sneak to win the game, running back Reggie Bush pushed in Leinart for the touchdown, adding fuel to this rivalry.
18. Nicklaus-Palmer: Quite clearly the greatest rivalry in golf history, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer are two of golf's biggest stars, so everyone made sure to tune in to watch these two legends battle it out on the course. Nicklaus is widely considered to be the best golfer in history, but Arnold Palmer provided some competition. This rivalry started at the 1962 U.S. Open, when Nicklaus overcame a three shot deficit to force a 18-hole playoff on Sunday, which Nicklaus eventually won. Five times, Nicklaus and Palmer finished first and second at the end of a major, and during a five year stretch, the two golfers were the only two champions at the Masters. The impact that these two golfers have had on the sport has shaped golf into what we know and love today.17. Syracuse-Georgetown: Remember when the Big East was the most competitive and intense conference in all of college basketball… those were the days. Now, Syracuse has moved on to the ACC and Georgetown is just a shell of their former self. Though their recent games have still been fairly competitive and intense competitions, the real golden age of this rivalry was back in the 1980’s, when Patrick Ewing and Georgetown went up against Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse team in several heated contests. Perhaps the most memorable game between these two was when Syracuse’s Pearl Washington nailed a game winning jumper with just eight seconds left to give Syracuse a 65-63 win over Georgetown, who were ranked first in the nation. The game was not to pass by without a bit of controversy, though, as Georgetown’s players were pulled off the court following an incident where an orange was thrown at the backboard during one of Patrick Ewing’s free throws.
16. Giants-Eagles: With these two teams both battling for the NFC East title each and every year, surely tensions will be high when the Philadelphia Eagles play the New York Giants. Out of this rivalry have come several incredible moments, such as the Miracle at the Meadowlands, and the Miracle at the Meadowlands, Part II (feat. DeSean Jackson). Although many people believe this is the greatest rivalry in the NFL, it does not quite match up with another classic matchup further on down the list.
15. Cubs-Cardinals: The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are some of baseball's biggest franchises, seeing how the Cubs rank second in all-time wins, while the Cardinals ranks fourth. While the Cubs have managed to record an incredible amount of wins, a World Series title has eluded them since 1908, unlike the Cardinals, who have won 11 titles in that same span. The two mid-west teams have had some incredible moments, including Ryne Sandberg's home run in 1984, and the greatest home run race of all time between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Considering how close the stadiums are to one another, fans are able to travel to either stadium to cheer on their teams, creating an atmosphere unlike any other in baseball.
14. Cal-Stanford: "The Big Game", a rivalry between California and Stanford, is the best college rivalry you will see on the West Coast, as it was first played 122 years ago. While the concluding play at this past year's Iron Bowl may give "The Play" a run for its money, many consider what took place on the field in 1986 to be the most remarkable moment in college football history. With four seconds left on the clock, Cal had one last attempt to win by scoring on a kick return. The ball was lateraled five times by four different players, when finally, Cal's Kevin Moell ran the ball into the endzone, having to run over one of Stanford's trombone players in the process. Stanford's band ran on the field prematurely, creating a chaos on the field that has yet to be replicated in sports.
13. Bruins-Canadiens: Being two of the Original Six, this rivalry is one of the longest lasting in hockey history. Although the Canadiens dominated during the early years, the series has become much more competitive as of late. The two teams have played against each other in the postseason 34 times, where seven of those series resulted in Game 7s (both of which are the highest totals between any two teams in hockey). In fact, Boston and Montreal met in this past postseason, where Montreal was able to fend off the Bruins in a seven game series, surely adding fuel to an already fiery rivalry.
11. Packers-Bears: The first game between these two teams was all the way back in 1921, where the Chicago Bears were known as the Chicago Stanleys, and just 7,000 people were in attendance. With 22 league championships between them, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are certainly two storied franchises that have been evenly matched over the course of this rivalry (93-89-6 Bears).
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